A configuration data set can be transmitted to a motor vehicle via a radio link from a central server device. This process is referred to as over-the-air update (OTA update for short). The radio link can be furnished by means of a WLAN (wireless local area network) radio module or a mobile radio module, for example.
By way of example, a motor vehicle cannot be reconfigured or updated during a journey, because it is not possible to update the software of a control device during operation of the motor vehicle. This would be inappropriate for, by way of example, safety reasons. Furthermore, the control device may be needed during the journey. For this reason, the vehicle must be updated when parked, while the drive motor of the motor vehicle is turned off.
However, it must be noted in this case that the operation of the control device for setting up a configuration data set places a load on the energy storage device of the motor vehicle—that is, the vehicle battery, for example. Recharging the energy storage device is not possible, because no recharging generator is in operation in the parked phase. Whether the configuration data set can be successfully installed or setup is thus dependent on the energy content of the energy storage device. Otherwise, the operation of a control device in the parked phase can result in the energy storage device being drained, such that the control device no longer has access to sufficient power from the energy storage device, and it is necessary to abort the setup or modification of the configuration data set. In the worst case, this can leave the control device in a disabled state, such that the control device must be repaired in a workshop.
A control device of a charging system of an electric vehicle for this purpose is known from DE 10 2009 036 943 A1, which can perform a software update or a firmware update for the charger based on a configuration data set that can be received via an Internet connection or a power supply network.
A motor vehicle is known from EP 2 706 457 A1, which can receive a configuration data set via a USB memory or via a radio link. The configuration data set is received in this case by an infotainment system (information entertainment system) and forwarded via a communication bus in the motor vehicle to the receiver/control device.
A motor vehicle is known from WO 2014/165197 A1, which can collect operating data of the motor vehicle for a user of the motor vehicle via a network, and display it to the user on a screen. The operating data relate in particular to a current state of charge of an energy storage device of the motor vehicle, which can include, for example, batteries or double-layer capacitors.
US 2013/0197712 A1 describes a method for operating a motor vehicle in order to update a control program in a control device in the motor vehicle. In this case, the energy required for this update is verified and compared with the current state of charge of the vehicle battery. In order to prevent, after the ignition of the motor vehicle is switched off, all of the control devices that need an update from simultaneously evaluating the ignition-off signal, a time offset for reading out the ignition-off signal is programmed into the control devices.
In the figures, functionally identical elements are indicated with the same reference numerals.